Wish with Your Heart
by Lady Psychic
Summary: AU, shounen ai Jounouchi was just a normal, poor boy who lived in the Kingdom of Onimod. Everything changes when he recieves a lamp from a stranger and meets a prince named Ryou. Contains Puffshipping and several other pairings.
1. A Gift from a Stranger

_A/N: It's time for another Yu-Gi-Oh story. This one is being written in response to Higuchimon's genie challenge. Basically, the challenge was to write a Yu-Gi-Oh fic using the basic plot line of the fairy tale, Aladdin. However, this is not taking the Aladdin story (Disney or original version) and replacing the original characters with those from Yu-Gi-Oh. I'm just simply using the basic plot of "poor boy gets magic lamp with a genie inside and eventually marries a noble". Other than that, this story will be totally different than Aladdin. Unlike my previous stories (where I used the dub names for the characters), this time I will use the Japanese names for most of the characters (except for Yugi, of whom I will keep the dub spelling of his name). The reason for this is because the Japanese names tend to fit better with this story than the dub names do. I must warn you that I have never seen the Japanese version of Yu-Gi-Oh (although I would if I could); so, if I spell the names wrong, please let me know so I can correct them. As for pairings, the main one will be Puffshipping (Jou x Ryou). Other pairings that I plan to include are Puzzleshipping (Yami x Yugi), Warshipping (Seto x Amelda), Manipulashipping (Malik x Anzu), mentioning of past Polarshipping (Jou x Mai), and other pairings that I will reveal later. _

_Warnings: AU, eventual shonen-ai, possible ooc-ness (although I'll try to keep it to a minimum)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or its characters. I also do not own the tale of Aladdin, either. _

**Wish with Your Heart**

**Chapter 1: A Gift from a Stranger**

The sun rose upon the Kingdom of Onimod, and the streets began to bustle with life. As the vendors of the Kaiba Marketplace began to open up their shops for the day, a teenaged boy with golden hair began scouting the area looking for a potential target. The boy, known as Katsuya Jounouchi, saw a stall that had many fresh fruits in front of it and his stomach rumbled at the sight. He reached down and grabbed a rock off of the ground and threw it at some pottery at the back of the stall. While the vendor was distracted with cleaning up the pieces, the golden-haired boy casually walked up, grabbed an armful of fruit, and ran off as quickly as he could before he could get caught.

After he got far enough away, Jounouchi began to relax and enjoy the food he stole. He didn't really enjoy stealing, but he often didn't have much choice. Food was often hard to come by for those who lived in the slums of Onimod. Many, including Jonouchi, would rather steal than die a horrible death from starvation.

As he continued to walk into the poorest part of the city, he eventually arrived at the small, run-down shack that he called home. It was a poorly made structure that had holes in the roof and garbage along the floor. Jounouchi was as quiet as he possibly could be as he placed the leftover fruit into a basket near his bed. His father was currently passed out in the middle of the floor and the boy didn't want to wake him up.

'Drunk too much again, old man?' thought Jounouchi as he exited the shack. His father always had a bit of a drinking problem, but it had gradually gotten worse after Jonouchi's mother left them. Lately, the elder had spent most of what little money they had on alcohol and gambling, and Jounouchi often had to fend for himself in order to get any food at all.

As he continued to walk, he decided to visit his sister, Shizuka. Because she lived on the other side of the city with their mother, Jounouchi didn't get to see her very often. Fortunately, Shizuka lived in a better part of the city than he did; so, he didn't have to worry about her safety too much. However, he was concerned about her eye condition which was slowly causing his sister to go blind.

After a two and a half hour walk, Jounouchi finally arrived at Shizuka's house. Before he went in, he cautiously looked for any signs that his mother was around. His mother didn't want to have anything to do with her son ever since she left him and his father. In fact, she had even been trying to keep him away from his sister. Whether it was the fact that he had the tendency to get into fights or the fact that he looked like his father, his mother claimed that he was a bad influence. That was why Jounouchi tried to avoid his mother as much as possible. Once he realized that his mother wasn't home, he finally went inside and was quickly greeted by his sister.

"Katsuya! You came," said Shizuka as she ran towards her brother and hugged him. It had been over two months since she last saw her brother and she had missed him dearly.

"Sorry that I haven't come by sooner," apologized Jounouchi, "but I've been kind of busy lately. Besides, you know that mother doesn't want me around here. Where is she, anyways?"

"She went shopping a few minutes ago," the sister replied. "I just wish you and mom would get along better."

"I know, Shizuka," said the brother. In an attempt to change the subject, he asked, "By the way, did you get your eyes checked again?"

"Yes, I did", answered Shizuka, as saddened expression settled upon her face. "The doctor said my eyesight is still getting worse and that he doesn't think there is anyway to fix it. If this continues, I might even go completely blind!"

When he saw tears form in his sister's eyes, Jounouchi wrapped his arms around her in comforting manner. "Don't worry," he reassured her, "I'll find a way to save your sight! I promise I will!"

"Thank you, Katsuya!" said Shizuka, as a smile began to reappear on her face. Though they lived apart from each other, she knew she could count on her brother. Somehow, he would find away to help her. She just knew it!

After a few minutes of silence, Shizuka restarted the conversation. "So, did you and Mai get back together again?"

Jounouchi cringed at that question. Mai Kujaku was his ex-girlfriend and they had been together for a while. However, they had been drifting apart during the last few months of their relationship. While he still cared for her, Mai had an independent spirit and didn't really want to settle down. One day, they got into a big fight and broke up, and Jounouchi hadn't seen her since then.

"No," he sighed, "I would talk to her, but she has vanished without a trace! For all I know, she could have left Onimod all together!"

"I'm sorry to hear that," replied Shizuka. "Either way, I hope that one day you will find someone special who you can always be with."

Jounouchi smiled at his sister and shifted his gaze to window. After noticing that the sun was beginning to set, he said, "Well, I got to go. It's getting late and mother will probably be back soon." Even though he didn't want to leave yet, he also didn't want to be there when his mother returned. They would just get into an argument, and he knew that would make Shizuka upset. So, the siblings said their goodbyes and Jounouchi began his long trek home.

As he neared his own neighborhood, Jounouchi noticed a familiar figure approaching him. He smiled when he realized it was his best friend, Hiroto Honda. They had known each other since they were children, and they often helped each other when times became tough.

"Hey, Jounouchi!" greeted Honda, "Where were you today? I've been looking all over for you!"

"I was visiting my sister." Jounouchi's face saddened when remembered the conversation between him and Shizuka. "Her eyesight is getting worse, and it might be only a matter of time before she goes completely blind! I just wish there was something I could do to help!"

"Well, I don't know if I can do anything to help, but if I can find anything out, I'll let you know", offered Honda. Jounouchi had a feeling his friend would say something like that. After all, not only were they best friends, but Honda also had a crush on Shizuka. Of course, Jounouchi would never let his friend date his sister; yet, it was comforting that he had Honda's support.

As they continued to walk down the pathways, an idea suddenly occurred to Honda. "Hey, you've heard the rumors about mages and sorcerers, right? Maybe one of them has the ability to cure your sister."

Jounouchi snickered as he thought about Honda's suggestion. He had heard of such people who claimed to use magic, but most of them turned out to be phonies and con-artists. "You don't really believe in that crap, do you?" the blond-haired boy asked his friend.

"No, not really," answered Honda, "but I figured that would be better than doing nothing at all. Who knows? Maybe magic does exist and there is someone out there who can really use it!"

"I guess your right," said Jounouchi. "Maybe it's worth a shot if there is even the slightest chance to help Shizuka. The problem is that a lot of those mages and sorcerers charge a lot of money for their services, and neither one of us has a bunch of spare change. Even if we did have enough, there is no guarantee that we could find a real magic user. In any case, I guess I'll have to start stealing both food and money from now on."

"I don't want to be the bearer of bad news," replied Honda, "but I've been hearing rumors that Seto Kaiba is going to be cracking down on thievery and is going to be adding some new guards soon."

Seto Kaiba was one of the richest people in all of Onimod and the owner of the Kaiba Marketplace. Back when his adoptive father, Gozoburo, owned the land, it was an armory that created all sorts of weapons and sold them to other countries and kingdoms. However, that all changed when Gozoburo suddenly passed away, and Seto Kaiba took over. Kaiba destroyed all the weapons in production and turned the armory into Onimod's largest and grandest marketplace.

Despite Kaiba's popularity, Jounouchi disliked the guy. From what little he had seen and heard about the market owner, he had the impression that Kaiba was a cold-hearted jerk. "Blah, I'm not worried about that rich prick", Jounouchi snickered. "Besides, I can take care of myself. Those guards will never catch me!"

"Just try to be careful, alright?" said Honda, and his friend gave a cocky smile in reply.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Anyways, I ought to go home. See ya, Honda!" With those words, the two friends parted ways, and Jounouchi continued to walk through the dark streets alone.

Nighttime had now fallen upon Onimod, and moonlight was the only source of light for those who walked the streets. The thugs and gangs who roamed the darkness made the slums an intimidating place to be at night. Since Jounouchi lived in the slums his entire life, however, he was not afraid at all. He knew how fight and could defend himself if he needed to. Still, as he continued to walk towards his home, the blond teen couldn't help but feel that something wasn't quite right. He didn't know why, but it felt as if someone or something was watching him. Jounouchi had learned to trust his instincts over the years and he scouted the area to see if there was anyone around.

Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly saw some movement coming from an alleyway. Soft footsteps echoed throughout the streets as a cloaked man emerged from the shadows and approached Jounouchi. The teen tried to get a good look at the stranger, but the darkness and the hood on the cloak concealed the man's face.

"I have been watching you for some time", said the stranger.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" growled Jounouchi as he gave the man a suspicious glare.

The cloaked man chuckled and replied, "I'm just someone who wishes to help, and I have a gift for you." The man then pulled something out of his cloak and placed it in Jounouchi's hands. Holding up the object into the moonlight to get a better look at it, the blond soon realized it was a lamp with some odd markings on it.

"Eh? Why did you give me a rusty, old lamp?" asked a confused Jounouchi.

"This is no ordinary lamp," answered the cloaked man. "It is a magic lamp which has the power to fulfill wishes and desires."

"Magic?" repeated the blond, who wasn't quite sure what to make of the stranger. "If this lamp has magical powers, then why are you giving it to me?"

"It's quite simple," said the stranger. "The power of the lamp has been sealed by a spell that only certain people can break. I cannot undo the seal, but I have a feeling that you can."

At that time, Jounouchi was beginning to wonder if the man was insane. Still, he figured he should go ahead and humor the poor guy. "Well, I don't know if I believe you, but since you gave it to me, I might as well take it. If it really does have magical powers, then I guess it is a bonus."

"You have made a wise decision," replied the cloaked man, as he turned around and walked away. "Farewell. Perhaps we shall meet again," the man's voice called out as he vanished into the shadows.

Jounouchi was in a stunned state for several minutes and was unsure exactly was happened. He took another look at the lamp he was holding. Other than the strange markings, it looked like an ordinary lamp. Still, he didn't have to pay for it. Even if the lamp wasn't magical, Jounouchi figured he could find some use for it. Yawning, the teen decided to put what just happened behind him and continue his trek home.

What Jounouchi didn't know was that a pair of mismatched eyes was watching him leave the area. The owner of the eyes had an evil smile on his face that was hidden by his cloak. Now that he had given the lamp to the boy, it would only be a matter of time before his plan would be set in motion.

If everything went as he had planned, then he will have his revenge.


	2. The Prince

_A/N: Alright everybody, here's chapter two. Ryou is now going to make his appearance in this chapter, but you will still have to wait a few more chapters for Bakura to show up. If you are wondering where Yugi is, he will appear within the next couple of chapters. Also, this story is going to be very long (I'm guessing that it will be at least twenty chapters or more). Anyways, I hope you will all enjoy this!_

_Warnings: AU, eventual shonen-ai, mild violence, mild language, possible ooc-ness (but I'm keeping it to a minimum)_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or its characters. I don't own the tale of Aladdin either._

**Wish with Your Heart**

**Chapter 2: The Prince**

The morning sun shined through the windows of Onimod's palace, and one by one, the occupants woke up. A young prince tossed and turned in his bed as the sunlight began to force his eyes open. Within a few minutes, a maid entered the prince's chambers and gently called out, "Wake up, Prince Ryou. Your tutor will arrive in a few hours."

After the maid left, Ryou got up and dressed himself. As he was brushing his long white hair, he looked out of his window. Because his room was at the top of one of the palace's towers, Ryou had a good view of the city below him. He had never been outside of the palace in his entire life; so, the view from his window was the closest thing he had to the outside world.

Ryou always wished he could leave the palace one day, if only for a few minutes. However, ever since Ryou's mother and sister died in an accident while they were traveling abroad, Ryou's father, the King, forbade him from leaving the palace. Ryou knew his father was just trying to protect him and was willing to obey his father's wishes. Still, it was quite lonely being cooped up in the palace all of the time, and the young prince wished he could meet someone other than the palace servants. Because he was too busy with his princely duties and wasn't allowed to leave the palace, Ryou didn't have any friends his own age.

The prince paused with his musings as placed his brush on his dresser. He then picked up a golden object that was attached to a chain, and he wore it around his neck. The object was known as the Millennium Ring to some people and the Sennen Ring to others. Though Ryou knew that his father had acquired the ring a long time ago, there was a lot about it that he did not know. His father had told him that it came from a land called Egypt and that it was one part of a set of items that supposedly contained some sort of magical power. However, no one knew why they were created and if they really did possess magical powers. Ryou also occasionally wondered why his father told him to never rub the Millennium Ring, but he never got a good explanation.

Still, Ryou wore the ring around his neck almost every day. Even though he couldn't get it thoroughly clean without the risk of rubbing it, the Millennium Ring was indeed beautiful. He also figured that he could use it as a good luck charm of sorts, even if it didn't have magical abilities.

Since it would still be a while before his tutor would arrive, Ryou decided to grab one of his books from his private book collection and read it in the comfort of the palace garden. The garden was one of Ryou's favorite places to be at during his free time. He always enjoyed looking at and smelling the flowers, and because the only other person who regularly came to the gardens was the gardener, it was also very quiet and peaceful.

As he was reading his book, Ryou heard the faint sound of footsteps coming from behind him. He turned his head but relaxed when he saw that it was only a guard. Even though the palace guards didn't often patrol the garden, it wasn't an unusual sight either. So, the prince paid no mind to the passing guard and continued to read his book.

Soon, Ryou found himself totally engrossed in the story. Reading was one of his favorite hobbies because it took his mind off of the loneliness that he felt. Unfortunately, he didn't notice the footsteps approaching him until it was too late. Ryou quickly turned to see who it was, but he was stopped when a hand holding a cloth clamped over his nose and mouth. Breathing in the substance on the cloth, the prince caught a glimpse of a guard's uniform before everything faded to black.

Meanwhile, Jounouchi and Honda were having lunch at a restaurant near their neighborhood. It was one of the cheapest restaurants in Onimod, and they occasionally ate there whenever they managed to save up some money. However, since they were planning to gather as much money as they could in order to help Shizuka, it would probably be awhile before they could eat at a restaurant again.

As they waited for their food to arrive, Jounouchi told his friend about the strange encounter he had the previous day. "Who would have thought that some insane lunatic would just appear out of nowhere and give me a lamp?"

"I'd be careful if I were you," cautioned Honda.

"Yeah, I know," replied Jounouchi. "After all, the guy had been ranting about it having magic powers and stuff. However, I already checked it, and it seems to be nothing more than a normal lamp with some fancy markings on it. Anyways, I've been thinking about cleaning it up and giving it to Shizuka as a birthday present."

"Do you think she'll like it?" asked Honda.

"I don't know,' answered the blond boy, "but I figure that it's better than nothing."

"Hey guys, can I take your order now?" The two boys turned to see the waitress standing impatiently next to their table. She was an acquaintance of theirs named Anzu Mazaki who lived in the same neighborhood that they did. Although she was normally a kind and friendly person, she could stand up for herself and others if she needed to. Jounouchi didn't know much about her except that her goal was to eventually leave Onimod and become a dancer. To earn money in order to help reach that dream, Anzu got a job as a waitress.

"Just get us the usual, Anzu," answered Jounouchi. Because Anzu had been their waitress for several times already, she already knew what the two boys liked to eat. With a nod and a smile, she went back to the kitchen and left the boys to chat amongst themselves.

After they finished eating, Jounouchi parted ways with Honda and left the restaurant. The blond teen began to walk the streets while trying to decide on what to do for the day. He thought about trying to find a mage who could help his sister. Even though had doubts that he could find someone who could really use magic, Jounouchi was willing to try anything to save her sight. However, such a thing would probably not be cheap, and Jounouchi groaned at the thought of stealing money. Still, earning money the honest way would take too long, and he was afraid that Shizuka would go blind before he could get enough cash.

Besides, he just couldn't picture himself working at a restaurant like Anzu. It just wasn't his style. Plus, his reputation for getting into fights and stealing made it rather difficult for him to get a job.

As Jounouchi was contemplating what to do next, a sudden noise broke him out of his thoughts. He looked around and realized that he was in front of the local pub. Just as the teen was about to write off the noise as someone who had too much to drink, he heard the sound again. As he inspected the area, the blond teen noticed that a crate that was tied to one of the camels parked in front of the pub seemed to be moving.

Out of curiosity, Jounouchi approached the crate and heard the noise again. His blood chilled when he realized that it was the sound of a human voice. 'Oh shit!' he thought, 'What did I just get myself into?' Still, he couldn't in good conscience leave whoever it was in there. So, the blond teen found himself in a frantic search for something to cut the ropes with. Fortunately, there was a knife lying on the ground nearby, and he quickly made good use of it.

After the ropes were cut, Jounouchi lifted the box off of the camel and gently set it on the ground. Then, he grabbed the lid with all of his might and ripped it off. Jounouchi's eyes widened when he saw a gagged and bound figure with long white hair and dark brown eyes lying at the bottom of the crate.

Quickly removing the gag and the binding, Jounouchi asked the stranger, "Are you okay, miss?"

"Pardon me," said the stranger, who gave Jounouchi a confused look, "but I think you must be mistaken. I'm a boy."

Jounouchi had embarrassed expression on his face as he replied, "Oops! Sorry about that." As he took a good look at the person he freed, the blond haired teen wondered why he thought the other was a girl. Although the long hair made the stranger seem somewhat feminine, the flat chest should have been a clue to the person's gender. Of course, there were several girls in Onimod who did have flat chests, but that didn't make Jounouchi's error any less embarrassing.

Before the long-haired boy could respond, a loud noise interrupted them. The two boys quickly turned around to see a small group of men dressed in guard uniforms standing at the pub's entrance. They seemed to be slightly drunk, but they were sober enough to realize what was going on.

"Shit! That boy found the prince!" exclaimed one of the guards. Another guard moaned, "If the prince escapes, then we won't get paid! C'mon guys, lets get them!"

'Damn it!' thought Jounouchi as the guards began to approach him and the white-haired boy. His first instinct was to fight, but he quickly realized it wasn't the wisest option. There were just too many guards, and despite his fighting skills, Jounouchi wasn't sure if he could fight them all off without Honda to back him up. He also had to protect the white-haired boy, who seemed a little too dazed to be much help. Thinking fast, Jounouchi quickly jumped onto a nearby camel, pulled the other boy up with him, and rode off as fast he could.

A chase soon began as the guards soon jumped on their camels and followed the two boys. Jounouchi turned his head to see one of the guards creep up dangerously close behind them. Soon, the guard was riding next to the boys and had pulled out a dagger. Before the man could use the weapon, the blond teen kicked at the enemy's camel and caused it to become spooked enough to throw the man off.

"Good shot," the white haired boy commented, and Jounouchi gave a cocky smile in response. "That's nothing," he replied, "You should see me fight. Maybe I'll give you a couple of pointers once this is over. But first, we got to get to somewhere safe, and I know a good place to hide. Hang on!" Soon, the camel speeded up and the white-haired boy wrapped his arms around Jounouchi's waist.

They kept on riding fast around the city for quite some time before they were able to slow down. Though the guards gave them a good chase, Jounouchi knew the city's streets and alleyways like the back of his hand and he eventually threw the enemies off of their trail. After a while, Jounouchi guided the camel to the outskirts of the city towards a place he figured they would be safe at.

"Where are we going?" the other boy asked.

"We're going to this place me and my friend used hang out at," answered Jounouchi. "It's been abandoned for some time, and I don't think those guys will find us there."

Ryou was unsure about what to think of his blond-headed rescuer. He was quite different from anyone else the young prince had ever met. Since the stranger seemed to be of low class, Ryou was still somewhat wary of him due to the rumors he had heard about the ruffians of the slums. However, the blond-haired teen did rescue him; so, Ryou figured he could trust the other to at least a certain degree.

What Ryou was currently concerned about was the fact some of his own place guards actually kidnapped him. While he was drifting in and out of consciousness in the crate, he had overheard them talking about someone paying them to kidnap him. He was unsure about who was behind this and why someone would want to capture him, but he had a growing feeling that something terrible was about to happen.


	3. One Thing Leads to Another

_A/N: Well here's chapter three. Some more characters will be making an appearance in this chapter. I must also point out that even though the characters names are usually spelled with their last name first, since this fic doesn't really take place in Japan, I decided to have them say their first name first instead. Anyways, I hope you will all enjoy this!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or its characters. I don't own the fairy tale of Aladdin, either._

_Warnings: AU, eventual Shonen-ai, mild violence, mild language_

**Wish with Your Heart**

**Chapter 3: One Thing Leads to Another**

The old shack had apparently been abandoned for quite a while. There were cracks in the walls and cobwebs everywhere. It was hardly a place fit for a prince, but Ryou wasn't about to complain. Even the run-down shack was a better place to be than out where those traitorous guards could get him.

Ryou turned towards the boy who rescued him and asked, "What exactly is this place?"

"Well," began the golden-haired boy, "this used to be a place for drug trafficking and illegal gambling. Then, when all the crooks left to set up shop elsewhere, my friend Honda and I took over and made this place our hideout. But that was a long time ago and nobody has used this shack in years. I figured that those creeps probably won't find us here."

After his rescuer finished speaking, Ryou spoke up, "I'm still rather shocked by everything that has happened, but I must thank you for rescuing me. By the way, who are you?"

The blond gave a cocky grin and replied, "My name is Katsuya Jounouchi, but all of my friends just call me Jounouchi. Only my sister and my dad call me Katsuya."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Jounouchi," said Ryou.

As Jounouchi was about to ask the white haired boy what his name was, the blond teen suddenly remembered something that one the guards said. Though he had other things of his mind at the time, he could have sworn that he heard the guard call the other boy a prince. Up until now, Jounouchi hadn't thought much about it, but he was now starting to notice how nicely the other boy was dressed.

Trying to find the right words to say, Jounouchi asked, "Um, what's your name? I heard one of those creeps call you a prince. Is it true?"

Ryou was torn about how to answer. He was unsure that it was wise to reveal himself to be the Prince of Onimod to this stranger that he had only just met. However, he had also been taught to never lie and always tell the truth. Besides, it seemed as if Jounouchi was beginning to figure everything out anyways; so, Ryou decided that there was no point in concealing his identity any longer.

Still unsure that he was making the right choice, Ryou answered, "Yes, I am Prince Ryou Bakura of Onimod."

Jounouchi's eyes were wide with shock. Sure, he figured the other boy was some sort of nobility and thought that he was a prince from some neighboring kingdom who was passing through. The fact that the boy he rescued was none other that the one and only Prince of Onimod had caught Jounouchi off guard. 'Oh great,' he thought to himself. 'What exactly did I get myself into?'

After a couple of moments of stunned silence, Ryou spoke in a concerened voice, "All you all right, Jounouchi? Was it something I said?"

In response, Jounouchi gave a grin and replied, "Nah, I'm fine. This is just a bit much to take in, that's all. Anyways, do you know why you got kidnapped by those creeps? They looked like they were guards or something?"

Ryou's gaze suddenly darkened at that statement. "Yes, they are guards. In fact, they are my own personal palace guards who were assigned to keep me safe. However, it seems that someone has hired them to kidnap me. I'm not sure exactly why I was taken, but I have a bad feeling that something terrible is going to happen. What if my father is in danger? I must return to the palace!"

"Calm down, Ry- oops, I mean your Highness," said Jounouchi. "I know you're worried and all, but now's not a safe time to go out. Those creeps are probably still out there. Besides, those guards might not have been the only ones who got bribed."

The prince gave a thoughtful look and replied, "Yes, you are right. It's probably not safe at the palace right now. But what should I do now?"

"Well," the blond teen suggested, "it would probably be a good idea to lay low for now. I'll try to bring you back to the palace tomorrow and we'll try to sort this mess out, all right?"

Just as Ryou began to nod in agreement, his stomach began to rumble. It was then that he remembered that he hadn't ate anything yet. "Oh my, it seems that I haven't eaten at all today."

"Want me to get you something?" asked Jounouchi.

"Yes please, if you don't mind," answered Ryou.

"Don't worry," said the blond teen, "I have a few other things that I need to do, too. I'll just get you something while I'm out, alright? By the way, do you think you'll be alright on your own for a while? Those creeps might still be looking for you; so, it will probably be better if you stayed here."

"I suppose you are right," replied the white-haired prince. Ryou was actually uncomfortable with the idea of being alone outside of the palace, but he felt that he would only get in Jounouchi's way if he tagged along. It was probably safer for both of them if he stayed put while the other went out. "I'm sure that I'll be fine by myself."

"Alright," said Jounouchi, "just try to stay away from the windows while I'm gone, and don't let anyone in except me and anyone with me. There are a couple of old sheets that you can use if you need to hide, but they haven't been cleaned in a long time and are kind of nasty. Anyways, I'll be back soon!"

Jounouchi flashed one more smile at Ryou, before he left the shack and locked the prince in. He wasn't completely sure if it was wise to leave the prince by himself, but he couldn't let the prince starve either. The blond teen also decided that he could go search for Honda along the way and see if his friend could happen. 'I wonder if Honda will believe me when I tell him I rescued the Prince of Onimod,' Jounouchi thought to himself. In any case, he figured that he would need all the help he could get.

Soon, Jounouchi began the long trek to the Kaiba Marketplace. He would have rode a camel, but he had shooed the camel he stole from the corrupt guards away in order to keep it from being traced back to the hideout. Since he couldn't find any more camels or horses nearby, the blond had no choice but to make the trip on foot.

Meanwhile, in a fairly large lake that was located several miles north of Onimod, there was an island that had an old castle within it. Due to the numerous rumors that the castle was haunted, nobody lived around the lake despite the fact that it was an oasis in the desert. In fact, people rarely even traveled to the area except to transport water to Onimod. Legends and ghost stories kept settlers and explorers away from both the lake and the island.

What very few knew was the fact that the island was actually inhabited.

Standing on the balcony of the castle, a lone man casually drunk some fine wine from a glass made of bronze. He gazed across the lake as a slight breeze gently brew his long hair that when past his shoulders. The man had only a single eye, and a golden eye-shaped object took the place where his second eye should have been. Soft footsteps came from behind him, and the man turned to see a servant at the doorway.

"Is there anything you need, Master Pegasus?" asked the servant.

"No thanks," answered the man. "By the way, is there any news from the men I hired the other day?"

"I'm sorry Master Pegasus, but there has been no word from them."

Pegasus sighed, "What a pity. Oh well, let me know if you find out anything." The servant nodded his head in agreement and walked away leaving the man known as Pegasus alone on the balcony. He gazed across the lake one more time to watch the sun setting in the distance, before he left the balcony and went inside.

'I wonder if they have succeeded yet,' thought Pegasus, as he navigated through his castle. 'It took a rather large amount of money to bribe those palace guards. Of course, it will be worth it in the end. I don't care how much of my wealth it takes as long as I can bring her back.'

The man stopped at a room filled with all sorts of flowers. On the wall was a large portrait of a beautiful blond-haired woman. As Pegasus approached the painting, he looked into the woman's eyes and said, "Soon we shall be reunited again, my beloved Cyndia. I will bring you back no matter what the cost! Just be patient, my love."

Back in Onimod, Jounouchi had finally made it to the Kaiba Marketplace. Unfortunately, the teen had spent what little money he had left on lunch earlier that day; so, he had no choice but to resort to stealing. After all, stealing wasn't so bad if it kept a certain prince from starving to death, right?

After some time, Jounouchi finally found a target. It was a bread vendor that still had some loaves on the counter. Waiting for the perfect moment, Jounouchi snatched two loaves of bread when he thought no one was looking. Then he shoved the bread under his shirt and began to walk away.

Suddenly, he heard a voice yell, "Stop, thief!" Turning around, Jounouchi saw a couple of guards heading in his direction. Fortunately, these were not they same guards that chased him and Ryou earlier that day. In fact, these new guards were wearing different uniforms than what the palace guards wore; so, Jounouchi figured they were the guards that Honda mentioned who were hired by Kaiba to stop thievery in the marketplace.

Still, Jounouchi wasn't about to let himself get captured; so, he quickly ducked into the crowd and ran as fast as he could. To slow his pursuers down, he grabbed everything he could get his hands on and knocked it down behind him. However, despite the crowd and the obstacles in their path, the marketplace guards were still following him. Fortunately, Jounouchi knew of a few escape routes, and he slid into a narrow alleyway and knocked down a pile of crates to block the path.

Cold, blue eyes watched the entire spectacle unfold, and their owner had an expressionless look upon his face. The young man stood a fair amount of distance away from the chase, but was still able to note the guards' inability to catch the thief. A younger boy with long black hair was standing next to him also watched the scene in front of them.

"Hey big brother, it seems like that thief eluded the guards," said the younger boy.

The elder boy remained silent for several moments before he replied, "So it seems, Mokuba." Despite his elder brother's seemingly emotionless expression, Mokuba could sense irritation radiating from his brother. It would not be a surprise if some or even all of the guards got replaced. After all, his brother, the well known Seto Kaiba, had a very low tolerance for incompetence, especially for those under his employment.

To say that Kaiba was under-whelmed by his guards' ability to do their jobs was an understatement. In fact, he was furious that the guards he chose himself couldn't capture a simple thief. Still, he was rather thankful that he decided to have an inspection of the market that day. Now that he had seen this incompetence, he could deal with it by getting rid of the problem.

Having seen enough, Kaiba muttered, "Let's go, Mokuba", and he walked away with his brother following close behind him.

Meanwhile, Jounouchi had escaped from the marketplace and was trying to figure out what to do next. He thought about searching for Honda, but it was already getting rather late and he had no idea where his friend was. Instead, he decided to stop by his own house before going back to the hideout. Jounouchi remembered that he still had some fruit leftover from the previous day, and he figured that he needed a bit of rest after all that had happened. However, he didn't plan on staying long.

'I hope the prince is doing fine by himself', he thought as he stepped inside his house. Back when he was taking the prince to the hideout, Jounouchi had considered letting Ryou stay at his house instead. However, he had ultimately decided it was a bad idea since he didn't know how his dad would react with a stranger staying with them; plus, he didn't want to risk those crooked place guards finding out where he lived.

Jounouchi looked around his shack, but his father was nowhere to be found. "He's probably off gambling somewhere," he sighed to himself. The blond teen wondered if he should wait till his father came back so he could tell him that he would be gone for a while, but he figured that his old man would probably be too drunk to care. Instead, Jounouchi pulled the loaves of bead out from under his shirt and placed them in the basket with the fruit.

Just as he was about to leave, the blond remembered something and pulled the lamp of his secret hiding place from under his bed. Since Shizuka's birthday was in a couple of days and Jounouchi had no idea when he would be able to come back home, he figured that he should take her birthday present with him just in case. So, he took the lamp into his hands and began to rub it to wipe the dust and dirt away.

Suddenly, the markings began to glow and a thick smoke poured out of the lamp. 'What the hell is going on?' thought Jounouchi as he noticed the bizarre phenomena. As the smoke filled the room, the lamp shook violently to the point that the blond teen could barely hold it. Then, a bright light shot out of the lamp and caused him to drop the lamp and fall backwards, hitting his head on the wall.

As the impact began to cause Jounouchi to blackout, he thought he saw a short figure with extremely spiky hair emerge from the smoke and light. However, he wasn't able to dwell on it for long before everything faded to darkness.


	4. Genie of the Lamp

_A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. I'm sorry that it took such a long time to write this, but went through a bit of a writers block while writing this chapter. If you have any questions or comments about this story, feel free to leave a review. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I don't own the fairytale of Aladdin either._

_Warnings: AU, eventual shounen-ai, mild language, mild violence_

**Wish with Your Heart**

**Chapter 4: Genie of the Lamp**

"Are you okay?"

Jounouchi was unsure where that voice came from. In fact, he never heard that voice before in his life. Whoever it was seemed kind of worried, though. The blond teen tried to remember what had just happened as he struggled to open his eyes. Finally, the darkness faded and light began to seep through his eyelids.

The first thing he noticed was a spiky-haired boy looking down at him. Since no one else was around, Jounouchi assumed the voice came from the spiky-haired boy. He also realized that he was currently lying on the floor. As he rose to his feet, Jounouchi noticed that the strange boy quite a bit shorter than he was. He also saw the lamp lying just a few feet away.

"Uh, what happened?" asked Jounouchi, who was still confused as to what was going on.

"You fell and bumped your head," answered the boy. "Are you sure you're alright, Master?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It was just a bump to the head," replied Jounouchi. After a few moments, it suddenly occurred to him what the boy had called him. "Wait a minute! Who are you, and why did you call me 'Master'? What's going on?"

The boy gave a cheerful smile and said, "My name is Yugi Mutou! Since you freed me from my lamp, you are now my Master."

Jounouchi's eyes went wide as his mind tried to process this new information. "So, are you saying you came from this lamp? Does that make you a genie or something?"

The short boy nodded his head. "Yep, I am a genie. As least, that was what I've been told."

"What you've been told?" the blond teen repeated with a confused look on his face. At this point, Jounouchi was unsure whether the boy in front of him was really a genie or just insane. He had heard countless stories about genies that lived inside lamps and other objects, but he had always thought they were fairytales that someone had made up. However, that would explain the smoke and how that boy appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

"It's kind of a long story," replied Yugi, as he quickly changed the subject. "Anyways, is there anything that you want to wish for?"

"Wish?!" stuttered Jounouchi, "You mean that I can have three wishes just like in those stories? I can wish for whatever I want, right?"

"Well, there are a few restrictions," explained the genie. "You do have three wishes, but there are limits to my power. I can't kill the living, and I can't bring anyone back from the dead. Also, my powers aren't able to force people to do things against their will."

'Hmmm, looks like I can't wish for my dad to quit his drinking and gambling,' thought Jounouchi. After a few seconds, he asked, "Are there any more restrictions I should know about?"

A sad look crossed Yugi's face as he replied, "Well, I'm not sure. To tell you the truth, I never actually used my powers before so I don't know if I can grant large wishes or not."

"Huh?!" exclaimed the shocked blond teen, "What do you mean by that?!"

"Well, you're actually my very first master," admitted the genie.

"What?!" yelled Jounouchi, "Aren't genies supposed to be ancient beings or something? How the hell can I be your first master?!"

"Well," began Yugi, "I'm pretty young in genie standards. At least, I think so. To tell you the truth, I wasn't always a genie."

It didn't surprise the genie at all when his master suddenly exclaimed, "What?! What do you mean you weren't always a genie?!" Yugi just smiled and explained, "You see, I used to be a human just like you, but something happened and I was turned into a genie. Ever since then, I've been trapped in that lamp and was in a deep sleep. In fact, I'm not quite sure how much time has passed."

"I see," replied Jounouchi, who was too shocked to think of anything better to say. He had a feeling the genie was not telling him everything, but decided to let it slide. Whatever happened that turned Yugi into a genie was most likely very traumatic, which would explain why the genie seemed to avoid talking about. 'Besides,' thought the blond teen, 'I only just met the guy. Maybe he'll feel like telling me the full story later.'

After a few awkward moments, Yugi spoke up. "So, are you going to wish for something, Master?"

"First off, don't call me Master," replied the blond teen. "It feels weird when you call me that. If you have to call me something, call me Jounouchi." After Yugi nodded in confirmation, Jounouchi began to ponder the genie's question. 'If Yugi really is a genie and not some psycho, then I can have three wishes,' he thought. 'I have to make them count, though. I need to think of something worth wishing for. Wait! I know! Maybe I can wish for Shizuka's eye condition to be cured! I just hope it's within the little guy's powers.'

"Hey, do you think you cure an eye condition on someone?" Jounouchi asked the genie.

Yugi thought for a moment before he answered, "I'm not sure, but I think I can. It would be better if I performed the wish near the person who needed to be cure, though. That way, I won't need to use as much magic energy as I would if I did it far away."

"Alright," said Jounouchi, but he quickly remembered that it would take a long time to reach his sister's house. It also occurred to him that he also had to make an even longer trek back to the hideout to feed and check up on a certain prince. "Damn," the blond muttered out loud, "I wish there was a faster way for me to travel everywhere."

Suddenly, Yugi's hands began to glow and a bright light filled the room. Yugi gasped with surprise and Jounouchi tried to shield his eyes from the light. When the blinding light finally faded, the blond teen rubbed his eyes as he mumbled "What the hell happened?"

"Look, Jounouchi!" exclaimed Yugi, as he held out his hands. Lying on top of the genie's palms was a small blue stone that seemed to glow. Taking a closer look at the object, Jounouchi asked, "What the heck is that thing?"

"I'm not sure, but I think it is the answer to your wish," the genie replied.

"Huh? My wish?" said a confused Jounouchi. "What do you mean? I didn't wish for anything!"

"Well, actually you did," explained Yugi. "You said 'I wish' and mentioned something about being able to travel faster."

"But that wasn't a wish," replied Jounouchi. "I was just complaining out loud!"

Yugi shook his head and sighed. "It doesn't matter if it was meant to be a wish or not. The moment you said 'I wish' was when everything after that counted as the wish."

"You have to be kidding me!" the blond teen exclaimed. "Well, there goes one of my wishes. I guess I'll have to be careful on how I word things around you. By the way, what does that rock thing have to do with being able to travel faster?"

Yugi looked down at the stone in his hands and examined it carefully. "Well, I think this is some sort of teleportation stone." With that said, the genie gently placed the bizarre stone in the confused teen's hands. "Close your eyes and imagine the place you want to go. If this really is a teleportation stone then it should automatically transport you to the place you are thinking of."

Before Jounouchi could think of any reply, Yugi suddenly grabbed onto his arm and held on tightly. "Hey! What are you doing?!" The genie gave a slight smile to his master's remark and answered, "If I'm holding on to you while you are teleporting then I will be able to travel with you. After all, you asked me about curing someone, right? Then I will need to come with you to perform the wish."

'Well, I guess that does make sense,' thought Jounouchi. 'I should probably think about where I should go. Maybe I should go back to the hideout and check on Prince Ryou. Then again, the sooner my sister's eye condition is cured, the better. Besides, if I wait too long I might mess up again and waste another wish. Yeah, I'll go to my sister's place first.'

With that thought running in his mind, Jounouchi curled his fingers around the glowing stone and slowly closed his eyes. He began to visualize his sister's house in detail, remembering the layout and what the rooms looked like. He then focused on Shizuka's bedroom and tried to visualize that he was there. Suddenly, a bizarre sensation overtook Jounouchi, and when he opened his eyes, he realized that he really was in his sister's bedroom!

"Wow! It actually worked!" exclaimed the blond teen. Any lingering doubts he had about Yugi being a genie instantly faded away at moment. Yugi gave Jounouchi a smile and was about to say something when another voice was suddenly heard.

"Katsuya? Is that you?" Both Jounouchi and Yugi turned towards the voice and saw Shizuka standing in the doorway. "Hey, Shizuka," answered her brother, "I'm sorry that we dropped in to see you so late."

"That's okay," said Shizuka, "I'm just surprised since I didn't hear you come in. You know I'm always happy to see you, brother. By the way, who's this? Is he a new friend of yours?"

"Yeah, I guess you can say he is a friend," replied Jounouchi as he place a hand on Yugi's shoulder. "Shizuka, this is Yugi. Yugi, this is my sister Shizuka."

The spiky-haired boy haired held out his hand and politely said, "I'm pleased to meet you, Shizuka." A sweet smile formed of the girl's face as she took Yugi's hand and replied, "It's nice to meet you too! I'm glad that Katsuya is making more friends. Can I get a closer look at you?"

When Yugi nodded, Shizuka bent down to get a better look at his face. The girl stared at Yugi for a few moments; squinting a bit as she did so. After a while, Jounouchi noticed that the genie was getting a little tense and he decided to intervene. "No offense, sis, but I think you're making him a bit uncomfortable."

"Oh! I'm sorry!" exclaimed Shizuka, as she took a few steps back. "It's just that my vision isn't very good. I can still see, but everything is blurry and faded."

"That's okay, I understand," replied Yugi. 'I wonder if she if the one Jounouchi wants me to cure,' he thought. 'I bet she is!'

"Anyways, that's the reason why we came here tonight," said Jounouchi. "You see, Yugi has magic powers and he might be able to cure your eye condition."

Shizuka perked up at her brother's words. "Really?" she asked, as she turned towards Yugi. "Can you really do that?!"

"Well, I've never done something like this before," the genie admitted, "but I can try. If I put my mind and heart to it, I am certain I can help you, Shizuka." Then, the genie turned his head towards Jounouchi. "I'm ready when you are. All you have to do is to say the wish and it will be granted."

'Well, this is it,' thought Jounouchi. 'This is probably the best chance for Shizuka to get cured. All I can do now is to put my faith in the little guy and hope he can actually do it.' Gathering his courage, the blond teen finally gave his order. "Alright, I wish for Shizuka's eye condition to be cured and for her sight to be restored!"

Immediately after the command was given, Yugi's hands began to emit a soft, gentle glow and he instinctually walked towards the girl. Shizuka was somewhat apprehensive at first, but a voice deep inside told her that she could trust Yugi; thus, she bent down a little in order to give the genie easier access to her face. 'I can do this,' the genie reassured himself as she placed both of his hands over the girl's eyes. 'I have to do this because they are both counting on me!'

As he cured Shizuka, a memory flashed through Yugi's mind. He remembered watching two hands glow as they slowly brought health back to his grandpa's sickly form. He remembered thanking the owner of those hands for saving the only family he had left. 'This brings back memories of the day my grandpa was healed,' thought Yugi, 'except this time, I'm the genie and I'm the one helping someone.'

Several minutes passed until the glow from Yugi's hands began to fade and finally disappeared altogether. Then the genie lowered his hands and said, "I think it's done. Shizuka, can you see better now?" Jounouchi held his breath and hoped that the wish had worked. He could only watch in anticipation as his sister blinked a few times and was flooded with relief when a shocked but happy smile crossed her face.

"Katsuya! Yugi! Everything looks so clear and detailed!" exclaimed Shizuka. Tears of joy began to flow down her cheeks as she approached her brother and gave him a big hug. Despite his best efforts, Jounouchi was unable to completely stop his own tears from leaking out of his eyes. His sister was now spared from the fate of having to live in the darkness, and the blond teen felt as if some sort of weight had been lifted off of his chest. Unfortunately, the celebration was quickly cut short when a sleepy voice came from another room.

"Shizuka? Are you still up?"

"Oh no! I think mother has woken up," whispered Shizuka, as her brother was thinking of something along the same lines.

'Damn it!' thought Jounouchi, 'the old lady just had to interfere just when things were looking up. Well, I'm not going to get into a fight with her right now!' Letting out a soft sigh, the blond teen whispered back, "I wish I didn't have to say goodbye like this, sis. But I think I should go before mom finds out I'm here."

"I understand," his sister replied. "I just wish you two would get along one day. Anyways, I'll try to distract her while you and Yugi find a way out."

As Shizuka left the room, Jounouchi grabbed Yugi's arm and pulled out the teleportation stone. "Look, me and my mother aren't in good terms," said Jounouchi, when the genie gave him a questioning look. "Anyways, I don't want to get into an argument with her while Shizuka's around; so, let's get out of here while we still can."

Meanwhile, Shizuka managed to intercept her mother in the hallway. Upon seeing her daughter, the mother narrowed her eyes and asked, "Shizuka, why are you up at this time of the night?"

"I'm sorry, mother," the girl replied, "but I was thirsty and got up to get a drink of water." It wasn't entirely a lie, since Shizuka really did get up to get a drink of water right before she saw her brother and Yugi in her room. Still, she couldn't help but feel guilty about the deception. However, she loved both her mother and her brother, and she was willing to do almost anything to keep them from arguing.

Her mother seemed to be satisfied with Shizuka's answer. "Alright, honey. Just try to go back to sleep soon. Remember, you have another doctor's appointment tomorrow."

"Okay, mother. Goodnight." With those words, Shizuka headed back towards her bedroom. Yet, when she got there her brother and Yugi were nowhere in sight. "Katsuya? Yugi?" she said in a hushed tone so that it would not alert her mother. Silence was the only thing that answered her.

Shizuka briefly wondered if the two boys climbed out of her bedroom window, but she soon dismissed such a thought. Her bedroom window was quite small, and she doubted that even Yugi could climb through it, much less her brother. 'Maybe they were able to escape with some sort of magical spell,' she suddenly thought. 'After all, Yugi was able to cure my eyes with his magic; so, perhaps he used his magic to send him and Katsuya to someplace else.'

A yawn passed through Shizuka's lips, and she figured it was best to follow her mother's advice and go back to bed. As she slipped into the covers on her bed, a small smile appeared on her face. 'I bet mother and the doctor are going to be really surprised tomorrow!'


End file.
